mp.godfather-第23部分

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tache　Pete；'　his　day　was　over　but　he　didn't　know　it。　Now　he's　dead；　nothing　can　bring　him　back。　I'm　ready　to　make　a　new　deal；　I　want　you　to　talk　Sonny　into　taking　it。〃
　
　Hagen　said；　〃You　haven't　got　a　chance。　Sonny　will　e　after　you　with　everything　he's　got。〃
　
　Sollozzo　said　impatiently；　〃That's　gonna　be　his　first　reaction。　You　have　to　talk　some　sense　to　him。　The　Tattaglia　Family　stands　behind　me　with　all　their　people。　The　other　New　York　families　will　go　along　with　anything　that　will　stop　a　full…scale　war　between　us。　Our　war　has　to　hurt　them　and　their　businesses。　If　Sonny　goes　along　with　the　deal；　the　other　Families　in　the　country　will　consider　it　none　of　their　affair；　even　the　Don's　oldest　friends。〃
　
　Hagen　stared　down　at　his　hands；　not　answering。　Sollozzo　went　on　persuasively。　〃The　Don　was　slipping。　In　the　old　days　I　could　never　have　gotten　to　him。　The　other　Families　distrust　him　because　he　made　you　his　Consigliere　and　you're　not　even　Italian；　much　less　Sicilian。　If　it　goes　to　all…out　war　the　Corleone　Family　will　be　smashed　and　everybody　loses；　me　included。　I　need　the　Family　political　contacts　more　than　I　need　the　money　even。　So　talk　to　Sonny；　talk　to　the　caporegimes；　you'll　save　a　lot　of　bloodshed。〃
　
　Hagen　held　out　his　china　cup　for　more　whiskey。　〃I'll　try；〃　he　said。　〃But　Sonny　is　strong…headed。　And　even　Sonny　won't　be　able　to　call　off　Luca。　You　have　to　worry　about　Luca。　I'll　have　to　worry　about　Luca　if　I　go　for　your　deal。〃
　
　Sollozzo　said　quietly；　〃I'll　take　care　of　Luca。　You　take　care　of　Sonny　and　the　other　two　kids。　Listen；　you　can　tell　them　that　Freddie　would　have　gotten　it　today　with　his　old　man　but　my　people　had　strict　orders　not　to　gun　him。　I　didn't　want　any　more　hard　feelings　than　necessary。　You　can　tell　them　that；　Freddie　is　alive　because　of　me。〃
　
　Finally　Hagen's　mind　was　working。　For　the　first　time　he　really　believed　that　Sollozzo　did　not　mean　to　kill　him　or　hold　him　as　a　hostage。　The　sudden　relief　from　fear　that　flooded　his　body　made　him　flush　with　shame。　Sollozzo　watched　him　with　a　quiet　understanding　smile。　Hagen　began　to　think　things　out。　If　he　did　not　agree　to　argue　Sollozzo's　case；　he　might　be　killed。　But　then　he　realized　that　Sollozzo　expected　him　only　to　present　it　and　present　it　properly；　as　he　was　bound　to　do　as　a　responsible　Consigliere。　And　now；　thinking　about　it；　he　also　realized　that　Sollozzo　was　right。　An　unlimited　war　between　the　Tattaglias　and　the　Corleones　must　be　avoided　at　all　costs。　The　Corleones　must　bury　their　dead　and　forget；　make　a　deal。　And　then　when　the　time　was　right　they　could　move　against　Sollozzo。
　
　But　glancing　up；　he　realized　that　Sollozzo　knew　exactly　what　he　was　thinking。　The　Turk　was　smiling。　And　then　it　struck　Hagen。　What　had　happened　to　Luca　Brasi　that　Sollozzo　was　so　unconcerned？　Had　Luca　made　a　deal？　He　remembered　that　on　the　night　Don　Corleone　had　refused　Sollozzo；　Luca　had　been　summoned　into　the　office　for　a　private　conference　with　the　Don。　But　now　was　not　the　time　to　worry　about　such　details。　He　had　to　get　back　to　the　safety　of　the　Corleone　Family　fortress　in　Long　Beach。　〃I'll　do　my　best；〃　he　said　to　Sollozzo。　〃I　believe　you're　right；　it's　even　what　the　Don　would　want　us　to　do。〃
　
　Sollozzo　nodded　gravely。　〃Fine；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　like　bloodshed；　I'm　a　businessman　and　blood　costs　too　much　money。〃　At　that　moment　the　phone　rang　and　one　of　the　men　sitting　behind　Hagen　went　to　answer　it。　He　listened　and　then　said　curtly；　〃OK；　I'll　tell　him。〃　He　hung　up　the　phone；　went　to　Sollozzo's　side　and　whispered　in　the　Turk's　ear。　Hagen　saw　Sollozzo's　face　go　pale；　his　eyes　glitter　with　rage。　He　himself　felt　a　thrill　of　fear。　Sollozzo　was　looking　at　him　speculatively　and　suddenly　Hagen　knew　that　he　was　no　longer　going　to　be　set　free。　That　something　had　happened　that　might　mean　his　death。　Sollozzo　said；　〃The　old　marl　is　still　alive。　Five　bullets　in　his　Sicilian　hide　and　he's　still　alive。〃　He　gave　a　fatalistic　shrug。　〃Bad　luck；〃　he　said　to　Hagen。　〃Bad　luck　for　me。　Bad　luck　for　you。〃
　
　Chapter　04
　
　When　Michael　Corleone　arrived　at　his　father's　house　in　Long　Beach　he　found　the　narrow　entrance　mouth　of　the　mall　blocked　off　with　a　link　chain。　The　mall　itself　was　bright　with　the　floodlights　of　all　eight　houses；　outlining　at　least　ten　cars　parked　along　the　curving　cement　walk。
　
　Two　men　he　didn't　know　were　leaning　against　the　chain。　One　of　them　asked　in　a　Brooklyn　accent；　〃Who're　you？〃
　
　He　told　them。　Another　man　came　out　of　the　nearest　house　and　peered　at　his　face。　〃That's　the　Don's　kid；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　bring　him　inside。〃　Mike　followed　this　man　to　his　father's　house；　where　two　men　at　the　door　let　him　and　his　escort　pass　inside。
　
　The　house　seemed　to　be　full　of　men　he　didn't　know；　until　he　went　into　the　living　room。　There　Michael　saw　Tom　Hagen's　wife；　Theresa；　sitting　stiffly　on　the　sofa；　smoking　a　cigarette。　On　the　coffee　table　in　front　of　her　was　a　glass　of　whiskey。　On　the　other　side　of　the　sofa　sat　the　bulky　Clemenza。　The　caporegime's　face　was　impassive；　but　he　was　sweating　and　the　cigar　in　his　hand　glistened　slickly　black　with　his　saliva。
　
　Clemenza　came　to　wring　his　hand　in　a　consoling　way；　muttering；　〃Your　mother　is　at　the　hospital　with　your　father；　he's　going　to　be　all　right。〃　Paulie　Gatto　stood　up　to　shake　hands。　Michael　looked　at　him　curiously。　He　knew　Paulie　was　his　father's　bodyguard　but　did　not　know　that　Paulie　had　stayed　home　sick　that　day。　But　he　sensed　tension　in　the　thin　dark　face。　He　knew　Gatto's　reputation　as　an　up…and…ing　man；　a　very　quick　man　who　knew　how　to　get　delicate　jobs　done　without　plications；　and　today　he　had　failed　in　his　duty。　He　noticed　several　other　men　in　the　corners　of　the　room　but　he　did　not　recognize　them。　They　were　not　of　Clemenza's　people。　Michael　put　these　facts　together　and　understood。　Clemenza　and　Gatto　were　suspect。　Thinking　that　Paulie　had　been　at　the　scene；　he　asked　the　ferret…faced　young　man；　〃How　is　Freddie？　He　OK？〃
　
　〃The　doctor　gave　him　a　shot；〃　Clemenza　said。　〃He's　sleeping。〃
　
　Michael　went　to　Hagen's　wife　and　bent　down　to　kiss　her　cheek。　They　had　always　liked　each　other。　He　whispered；　〃Don't　worry；　Tom　will　be　OK。　Have　you　talked　to　Sonny　yet？〃
　
　Theresa　clung　to　him　for　a　moment　and　shook　her　head。　She　was　a　delicate；　very　pretty　woman；　more　American　than　Italian；　and　very　scared。　He　took　her　hand　and　lifted　her　off　the　sofa。　Then　he　led　her　into　his　father's　corner　room　office。
　
　Sonny　was　sprawled　out　in　his　chair　behind　the　desk　holding　a　yellow　pad　in　one　hand　and　a　pencil　in　the　other。　The　only　other　man　in　the　room　with　him　was　the　caporegime　Tessio；　whom　Michael　recognized　and　immediately　realized　that　it　must　be　his　men　who　were　in　the　house　and　forming　the　new　palace　guard。　He　too　had　a　pencil　and　pad　in　his　hands。
　
　When　Sonny　saw　them　he　came　from　behind　his　desk　and　took　Hagen's　wife　in　his　arms。　〃Don't　worry；　Theresa；〃　he　said。　〃Tom's　OK。　They　just　wanta　give　him　the　proposition；　they　said　they'd　turn　him　loose。　He's　not　on　the　operating　end；　he's　just　our　lawyer。　There's　no　reason　for　anybody　to　do　him　harm。〃
　
　He　released　Theresa　and　then　to　Michael's　surprise　he　too；　got　a　hug　and　a　kiss　on　the　cheek。　He　pushed　Sonny　away　and　said　grinning；　〃After　I　get　used　to　you　beating　me　up　I　gotta　put　up　with　this？〃　They　had　often　fought　when　they　were　younger。
　
　Sonny　shrugged。　〃Listen；　kid；　I　was　worried　when　I　couldn't　get　ahold　of　you　in　that　hick　town。　Not　that　I　gave　a　crap　if　they　knocked　you　off；　but　I　didn't　like　the　idea　of　bringing　the　news　to　the　old　lady。　I　had　to　tell　her　about　Pop。〃
　
　〃How'd　she　take　it？〃　Michael　asked。
　
　〃Good；〃　Sonny　said。　〃She's　been　through　it　before。　Me　too。　You　were　too　young　to　know　about　it　and　then　things　got　pretty　smith　while　you　were　growing　up。〃　He　paused　and　then　said；　〃She's　down　at　the　hospital　with　the　old　man。　He's　gonna　pull　through。〃
　
　〃How　about　us　going　down？〃　Michael　asked。
　
　Sonny　shook　his　head　and　said　dryly；　〃I　can't　leave　this　house　until　it's　all　over。〃　The　phone　rang。　Sonny　picked　it　up　and　listened　intently。　While　he　was　listening　Michael　sauntered　over　to　the　desk　and　glanced　down　at　the　yellow　pad　Sonny　had　been　writing　on。　There　was　a　list　of　seven　names。　The